This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-107975 filed on Apr. 6, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a quick-action connector assembly, and more particularly to a quick-action connector assembly including a tubular male member having an annular protrusion formed on the outer circumferential surface of an engaging end portion thereof, and a female member in which the engaging end portion of the male member is inserted in one axial direction such that the annular protrusion is latched in engagement with a latching projection provided on the female member, whereby the male member and the female member are connected to each other by a single quick action to cause an axial relative movement of the female and male members.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There are known quick-action connector assemblies of various arrangements of the type described above. In one example of the such quick-action connector assembly, the female member includes a cylindrical portion as one axial end portion in which the corresponding end portion of the male member can be inserted. The cylindrical wall of the cylindrical portion of the female member has latching arms which are elastically deformable or displaceable in the radial direction and which have latching projections projecting in the radially inward direction. When the male member having the annular protrusion formed at the inner end of the outer circumferential surface of its engaging end portion is inserted into the cylindrical portion of the female member, the annular protrusion of the male member causes elastic deformation of the latching arms of the cylindrical portion of the female member in the radially outward direction of the cylindrical portion, so that the annular protrusion is moved in sliding contact with the latching projections from one side to the other side of the latching projections, whereby the annular protrusion of the male member is latched in engagement with the latching projections, so as to inhibit a movement of the male member in the axial direction away from the female member, that is, to prevent removal of the male member from the female member.
In the quick-action connector assembly arranged as described above, a single quick action to cause a relative axial movement of the male and female members for moving the engaging end portion of the male member into the cylindrical portion of the female member permits the annular protrusion of the male member to be latched in engagement with the latching projections of the female member, so that the male and female members can be considerably easily and quickly connected to each other. Although the known quick-action connector assembly has an advantage as described above, this connector assembly has a drawback that it is difficult to inspection the connector assembly externally of the female member, to check if the annular protrusion of the male member has been stably latched in engagement with the latching projections of the female member, that is, if the male and female members have been completely connected to each other, since the latching between the annular protrusion and the latching projections takes place within the female member.
Where the quick-action connector assembly is used for connecting two pipes or hoses for flows of a certain fluid in a fluid transporting system, there is a risk of a leakage flow of the fluid from the connection between the male and female members of the connector assembly, if the fluid is transported through the fluid transporting system, in the event of a failure of the male and female members to achieve stable or complete latching between the annular protrusion and the latching projections.
JP-Y2-3-17115 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,344 B1 disclose a connector assembly or tube joint which is arranged to permit easy checking as to whether the male and female members have been completely connected to each other.
Described more specifically, the connector assembly or pipe joint disclosed in the above-identified publications includes a female member (tubular joint) into which a male member (pipe) is inserted. The female member includes an axial end portion whose cylindrical wall has elastically deformable or displaceable latching arms (pipe retainer) and windows formed therethrough. Further, the axial end portion of the female member is provided with a latching indicator member (connection checker) which is a generally C-shaped or U-shaped member having a pair of leg portions that are elastically deformable or displaceable such that the two leg portions are moved toward and away from each other. The latching indicator member is fitted in the axial end portion of the female member such that inner parts of the leg portions project through the respective windows into the female member. When the engaging end portion of the male member is inserted into the axial end portion of the female member, the annular protrusion of the male member is brought into latching engagement with the latching projections of the latching arms for connection of the male and female members, while at the same time the pair of leg portions of the latching indicator member are elastically displaced away from each other directly by the annular protrusion of the male member, or indirectly by the annular protrusion via a suitable pusher member or slider, in the radially outward direction of the female member, so that the latching indicator member can be removed from the female member. Then, the latching indicator member is removed from the female member.
In the quick-action connector assembly or pipe joint disclosed in the above-identified publications, it is possible to easily check if the annular protrusion of the male member has been latched in engagement with the latching projections of the latching arms of the female member as a result of insertion of the male member into the female member, that is, if the male and female members have been completely or stably connected to each other, depending upon whether the latching indicator member is placed in a position in which the latching indicator member can be removed from the female member.
In the connector assembly of the type described above, however, the latching indicator member (connection checker) is removed from the female member after the male and female members have been completely or stably connected to each other. If the male and female members are once disconnected from each other and are again connected to each other, no means is available to check if the male and female members have been completely connected to each other, so that the connector assembly cannot be easily inspected for complete connection of the male and female members after these members are once disconnected from each other.
The present invention was made in view of the background art described above. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a quick-action connector assembly which permits accurate and easy checking as to whether the male and female members have been completely connected to each other, each time an action to connect these male and female members is effected following disconnection of the male and female members.
The above object may be achieved according to the principle of the present invention, which provides a quick-action connector assembly including a tubular male member having an engaging end portion and an annular protrusion formed on an outer circumferential surface of the engaging end portion, and a female member having a cylindrical end portion into which the male member is to be inserted and which has a cylindrical wall formed with at least one latching arm each of which has a latching projection extending radially inwardly of the cylindrical wall, each of the at least one latching arm being elastically deformable in a radial direction of the cylindrical end portion, and wherein elastic deformation of each latching arm in a radially outward direction of the cylindrical end portion of the female member during insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion permits the annular protrusion to clear the latching projection of each latching arm and to be latched in engagement with the latching projection, so as to prevent an axial movement of the male member in a direction away from the female member, the quick-action connector assembly comprising:
(a) a latching indicator member into which the male member can be inserted and which is substantially cylindrical in shape and assembled with the cylindrical end portion of the female member;
(b) first engaging means interposed between the latching indicator member and the male member, for effecting engagement between the latching indicator member and the male member upon insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, to permit an axial movement of the latching indicator member together with the male member in a direction of insertion of the male member; and
(c) second engaging means interposed between the latching indicator member and the female member, for effecting engagement between the latching indicator member and the female member, to substantially inhibit rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member, prior to the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, and for disengaging the latching indicator member and the female member from each other, to permit the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member, on the basis of the axial movement of the latching indicator in the direction of insertion of the male member by the first engaging means, after the annular protrusion has been latched in engagement with the latching projection of each latching arm as a result of the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion,
and wherein a checking if the annular protrusion of the male member inserted into the female member has been latched in engagement with the latching projection of each latching arm can be effected depending upon whether the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member is inhibited or permitted.
In the quick-action connector assembly of the present invention constructed as described above, the latching indicator member rotatably fitted substantially within or on the cylindrical end portion of the female member is substantially inhibited by the second engaging member, from rotating relative to the female member, with the latching indicator member held in engagement with the female member, before the male member is inserted into the cylindrical end portion of the female member. When the male member is inserted into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, the first engaging means permits the latching indicator member to be brought into engagement with the annular protrusion of the male member, and to be moved with the male member in the direction of the insertion of F the male member, until the latching indicator member has been moved to a latching position at which the annular protrusion of the male member has been latched in engagement with the latching projection of the latching arm and at which the engagement between the latching indicator member and the female member by the second engaging means is completely released, to thereby permit the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member. The function of the second engaging means to xe2x80x9csubstantially inhibitxe2x80x9d rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member is interpreted to mean either complete prevention of the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member, or prevention of the relative rotation of the latching indicator member by more than a predetermined small angle below which the rotation can be considered to be a tolerable amount of play. On the other hand, the function of the second engaging means to xe2x80x9cpermitxe2x80x9d the rotation of the latching indicator member relative the female member is interpreted to mean permission of free rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member by more than the predetermined small angle.
In the quick-action connector assembly of the present invention, the user tries to rotate the latching indicator member relative to the female member after the male member has been inserted into the cylindrical end portion of the female member. If the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member is not permitted, this indicates that the annular protrusion of the male member has not been latched in engagement with the latching projection of each latching arm of the female member, thereby indicating that the male member has not been completely connected to the female member. If the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member is permitted, this indicates that the annular protrusion of the male member has been stably latched in engagement with the latching projection of the latching arm, thereby indicating that the male member has been completed connected to the female member.
Thus, the quick-action connector assembly according to the present invention makes it possible to check if the male member has been completely connected to the female member, depending upon whether the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member is permitted or not, or whether the angle of the permitted relative rotation is larger than a predetermined value or not. This checking is possible is possible with the latching indicator member held assembled with the female member, that is, without removal of the latching indicator member, unlike a latching indicator member used in the known quick-action connector assembly wherein the latching indicator member is removed when the checking as to whether the male member has been completely connected to the female member or not is effected depending upon whether the latching indicator member can be removed from the female member or not.
Accordingly, the quick-action connector assembly according to the present invention can be accurately and easily checked for complete connection of the male member and the female member, each time an operation to connect the male member and the female member is performed, even where the operations to connect and disconnect the male and female members to and from each other are repeatedly performed. Where the present quick-action connector assembly is used for connecting two pipes or hoses for flows of a certain fluid in a fluid transporting system, the arrangement according to the present invention is effective to prevent a leakage flow of the fluid from the connection between the male and female members of the connector assembly, which leakage flow would take place if the fluid were transported through the fluid transporting system while the connection between the male and female members is incomplete.
According to a first preferred form of the present invention, the quick-action connector assembly further comprises third engaging means interposed between the latching indicator member and the female member, for effecting engagement between the latching indicator member and the female member, to substantially inhibit an axial movement of the latching indicator member in the direction of insertion of the male member, prior to the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, and for disengaging the latching indicator member and the female member from each other, to permit the axial movement of the latching indicator member in the direction of insertion, after the annular protrusion of the male member has cleared the latching projection of each latching arm on the basis of the elastic deformation of each latching arm in the radially outward direction of the cylindrical end portion of the female member during the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion.
In the quick-action connector assembly according to the first preferred form of this invention described above, the latching indicator member is not unnecessarily moved in its axial direction relative to the female member, before the male member has been inserted into the female member. Further, the present preferred form of the invention is effective to prevent an axial movement of the latching indicator member to a position for permitting the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member, before the annular protrusion of the male member has been latched in engagement with the latching projection of each latching arm. Accordingly, the present arrangement assures a further improvement in the accuracy of checking as to whether the male and female members have been completely connected to each other, depending upon whether the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member is permitted or not, or whether the angle of the permitted relative rotation is larger than a predetermined value or not.
According to one advantageous arrangement of the above first preferred form of the present invention, each latching arm has an inner surface on which the latching projection is formed, and the third engaging means includes an engaging protrusion formed on the inner surface of each latching arm, and a receptacle formed in a cylindrical wall of the latching indicator such that the engaging protrusion is engageable with the receptacle, the cylindrical wall of the latching member having opposed surfaces which partially define the receptacle and which are opposed to each other in the direction of insertion of the male member, the engaging protrusion being held in engagement with the opposed surfaces of the receptacle prior to the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, to thereby substantially inhibit the axial movement of the latching indicator member in the above-indicated direction of insertion, and wherein the engaging protrusion is disengaged from the receptacle, to permit the axial movement of the latching indicator member in the above-indicated direction of insertion, when the annular protrusion of the male member has cleared the latching projection of each latching arm on the basis of the elastic deformation of said latching arm in the radially outward direction during the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion. The present arrangement of the third engaging means is comparatively simple, but assures accurate checking as to whether the male member and the female member have been completely connected to each other.
According to a second preferred form of the present invention the first engaging means includes the annular protrusion of the male member, and an engaging inward flange formed on the latching indicator member such that the engaging inward flange extends in a radially inward direction of the latching indicator member, the annular protrusion being engageable with the engaging inward flange during the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, so that the latching indicator member is moved together with the male member in the direction of insertion of the male member. In the present form of the invention, the arrangement of the first engaging means is comparatively simple, but permits stable axial movement of the latching indicator member together with the male member during the insertion of the male member into the female member.
According to a third preferred form of this invention, the second engaging means includes at least one projection formed on one of two portions of the latching indicator member and the female member, which two portions are opposed to each other in the radial direction of the female member, and at least one recess formed in the other of the two portions, and wherein before the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, the above-indicated at least one projection is held in engagement with opposed surfaces which partially define the above-indicated at least one recess and which are opposed to each other in a circumferential direction of the female member, so that the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member is substantially inhibited, the above-indicated at least one projection being disengaged from the above-indicted at last one recess, as a result of the axial movement of the latching indicator member together with the male member in the direction of insertion of the male member during the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, which axial movement is permitted by the first engaging means after the annular protrusion of the male member has been latched in engagement with the latching projection of each latching arm, so that the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member is permitted, while the annular protrusion is latched in engagement with the latching projection. In the present third preferred form of the invention, the arrangement of the second engaging means is comparatively simple, but permits reliable functioning of the second engaging means to substantially inhibit the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member prior to the insertion of the male member into the female member, and permit the relative rotation of the latching indicator member and the female member after the male member has been inserted to the female member.
According to a fourth preferred form of the present invention, the second engaging means includes the latching projection of the each latching arm, and an opening formed in a cylindrical wall of the latching indicator member such that a dimension of the opening as measured in the direction of insertion of the male member is large enough to permit the latching projection to be received in the opening, the opening consisting of a narrow portion and a wide portion which are respectively located downstream and upstream in the direction of insertion, and wherein before the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, at least a portion of the latching projection is held in engagement with opposed surfaces which partially define the narrow portion of the opening and which are opposed to each other in a circumferential direction of the latching indicator member, so that the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member is substantially inhibited, the latching projection being moved into the wide portion of the opening and disengaged from the narrow portion, as a result of the axial movement of the latching indicator member together with the male member in the direction of insertion of the male member during the insertion of the male member into the cylindrical end portion of the female member, which axial movement is permitted by the first engaging means after the annular protrusion of the male member has been latched in engagement with the latching projection of the each latching arm, so that the latching indicator member is permitted to be rotated relative to the female member by an angle corresponding to a dimension of the wide portion as measured in the circumferential direction, while the annular protrusion is latched in engagement with the latching projection.
In the quick-action connector assembly according to the fourth preferred form of the invention, the latching projection of each latching arm provided to latch the annular protrusion of the male member is utilized to effect the engagement of the latching indicator member with the female member for substantially inhibiting the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member prior to the insertion of the male member into the female member. Thus, the present form of the invention does not require a member exclusively designed to effect the engagement of the latching indicator member with the female member for substantially inhibiting the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member. Accordingly, the present form of the invention effectively prevents complexity in construction of the quick-action connector assembly due to the provision of the second engaging means for substantially inhibiting the relative rotation of the latching indicator member and the female member.
According to a fifth preferred form of this invention, the quick-action connector assembly further comprises a locking mechanism operable to lock the latching indicator member in a predetermined angular position relative to the female member, for preventing free rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member, while the second engaging means is placed in a state of permitting the rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member, after the annular protrusion of the male member inserted in the cylindrical end portion of the female member has been latched in engagement with the latching projection of each latching arm.
In the quick-action connector assembly according to the fifth preferred form of the invention, the lock mechanism is provided to lock the latching indicator member in the predetermined angular position relative to the female member, after the male member has been completely connected to the female member with the annular protrusion of the male member held latched by the latching projection of each latching arm. The locking mechanism prevents unnecessary free rotation of the latching indicator member. In addition, the checking as to whether the male member and the female member have been completely connected to each other can be made by simple visual inspection as to whether the latching indicator member is placed in the predetermined angular position, and without having to try to rotate the latching indicator member.
According to a sixth preferred form of this invention, each latching arm has an inner surface on which the latching projection is formed, the inner surface of the latching arm providing an inclined cam surface which extends in a circumferential direction of the female member and which is inclined such that a position of the inclined cam surface in a radial direction of the female member gradually increases in the circumferential direction, and the latching indicator member includes a slidably contacting portion which slidably moves on the inclined cam surface during rotation of the latching indicator member relative to the female member, to cause elastic deformation of each latching arm in the radially outward direction of the female member, for thereby disengaging the annular protrusion of the male member from the latching projection of each latching arm.
In the quick-action connector assembly according to the sixth preferred form of this invention, the male member which has been connected to the female member can be removed from the female member, by simply rotating the latching indicator member relative to the female member, to cause a sliding movement of the slidably contacting portion on the inclined cam surface, until the latching indicator member is rotated to an angular position in which the latching of the annular protrusion of the male member by the latching projection of each latching arm is released.